How To Throw A Stress-Free Pool Party

(NAPSI)—While a pool party can be a great way to spend an afternoon with friends and family, taking a few extra steps can help your event sparkle as much as your pool.

Consider these tips:

Get in the swim: Host a party in your pool.

• Decorations—One of the biggest mistakes a host can make is overdecorating. Themed tropical parties, replete with inflatable palm trees, torches and tiki statues, may be great for a kids' party, but for adults, the simpler, the better. A few freshly cut flowers in tabletop vases are always classy. If your party extends into the evening, hang some lighted lanterns around the pool. Set up your sound system outdoors and create a playlist of music to set the mood. Keep extra supplies on hand, such as sunscreen and spare towels, for those guests who come underequipped.

• Changing Area—Provide a room for your guests in which to change in and out of their swimsuits. Include a container of plastic bags for storing wet swimsuits and towels for easy transport home. The room should be easily accessible to a bathroom, preferably with a shower. Remove extraneous items from the shower and arrange a few indulgences, such as luxurious shampoo and conditioner, fresh-smelling liquid soap and body lotion with a summery scent.

• Food and Drinks—Set up a table poolside, but in the shade, so guests can snack when hungry. Try a buffet of salads, antipasto, chilled shrimp cocktail and fruit. With the temperatures rising, select light, refreshing menu items, keeping in mind that some ingredients, such as mayonnaise, are apt to spoil in the heat.

For drinks, make sure you have all the basics, including coolers full of soda, water, white wine and wine spritzers, cocktails and beer, giving guests an array of options for quenching their thirst. By setting out food and drinks ahead of time, you'll be better able to mix, mingle and swim with everyone else.

• Pool Prep—Maintaining a crystal-clear pool requires vigilance. Something as simple as a last-minute rainstorm can turn the water cloudy and uninviting. To help, there's a new pool treatment designed to alleviate this issue. It's called Angry Egg™ Pool Treatment, and you simply drop it into the pool and it immediately begins to fizz out a deep-clean formula. In about 10 minutes, it floats back to the surface for easy removal and recycling. In 24 hours or less, you'll have sparkling-clear water for your partygoers to enjoy.

Finally, sit back, relax and enjoy your party. Don't stress. Go with the flow of the event and make adjustments midstream if needed. Encourage your guests to feel at home and to make the most of the day poolside.